Definition

__Youth experimentation with electronic cigarettes:__ percentage of students in grades 8, 10, 12 who have used electronic cigarettes in their lifetime. __Current use of electronic cigarettes among youth:__ percentage of students in grades 8, 10, 12 who have used electronic cigarettes in the past 30 days. __Current use of electronic cigarettes among adults:__ percentage of adults (age 18+) who currently use electronic cigarettes every day or some days.

Numerator

__Youth experimentation with electronic cigarettes:__ number of students in grades 8, 10, and 12 who have used electronic cigarettes in their lifetime. __Current use of electronic cigarettes among youth:__ number of students in grades 8, 10, and 12 who have used electronic cigarettes in the past 30 days. __Current use of electronic cigarettes among adults:__ number of adults (age 18+) who currently use electronic cigarettes every day or some days.

Denominator

__Experimentation and current use of electronic cigarettes among youth:__ number of all students in grades 8, 10, and 12 surveyed. __Current use of electronic cigarettes among adults:__ number of adults (age 18+)

Data Interpretation Issues

The Prevention Needs Assessment (PNA) is the main component of Utah's School Health And Risk Prevention (SHARP) survey project. It is conducted in odd years with Utah students in grades 6, 8, 10, and 12. The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey is conducted with a representative sample of non-institutionalized Utah adults living in households with a landline telephone. In 2010, the BRFSS added cell phone interviews to the survey protocol and introduced a new weighting methodology that better represents populations of low socioeconomic status. More details about these changes can be found at: [https://ibis.health.utah.gov/pdf/opha/resource/brfss/RakingImpact2011.pdf]. Due to these changes survey results from the years before 2010 are not comparable to results observed in 2010 or later. The 2010 estimated adult smoking rate was higher compared to rates from previous years that were based on post-stratification by age, sex, and local health district. As with all telephone surveys, data may be subject to error as resulting from non-coverage (e.g., lower telephone coverage among some low SES populations), non-response (e.g., refusal to participate in the survey or answer specific questions), or measurement (e.g. social desirability or recall bias). Interviewer training and monitoring and strict adherence to good survey research protocols reduce error from these sources.

Why Is This Important?

Electronic cigarettes or vape products are battery-powered devices that turn liquids into aerosol. They are marketed under a variety of different names but are most commonly referred to as electronic cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vape products, mods, or tanks. They may also be known as JUUL, Vuse, Suorin, MarkTen, and Blu. The liquids frequently contain nicotine and flavors. Since 2011, Utah has seen a sharp increase in vape product experimentation and use among youth and young adults. Given the uncertain public health impact of vaping and the potential for increasing nicotine addiction among young people, monitoring the use of vape products and enforcing and strengthening policies that regulate youth access are public health priorities for Utah.

Other Objectives

Currently, Healthy People 2020 does not list a specific objective related to electronic cigarettes. TU-3 focuses on reducing the initiation of tobacco use among children, adolescents, and young adults.

How Are We Doing?

From 2011 to 2019, the rate of vape product use among Utah students in grades 8, 10, and 12 increased from 1.9% to 12.4% (Utah SHARP - Prevention Needs Assessment 2011-2019). In 2021, 7.8% of Utah students in grades 8, 10, and 12 (Utah SHARP - Prevention Needs Assessment), and 9.7% of Utah high school students reported that they vaped in the past 30 days (Utah YRBS). In comparison, 6.8% of Utah adults reported current use of vape products in 2020 (Utah BRFSS 2020).

How Do We Compare With the U.S.?

In 2021, 9.7% of Utah high school students reported that they had used e-cigarettes or vape products in the past 30 days (Utah YRBS). In comparison, the 2021 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) reports that 11.3% of U.S. high school students used e-cigarettes/vape products in the past 30 days.

What Is Being Done?

Utah has passed a number of policies that limit youth access and/or regulate the safety of vape products. Tobacco retailers are required to be licensed through the Utah Tax Commission to sell electronic cigarettes and other vape products. The sale of vape products to those younger than 21 years is prohibited. Most flavored products can only be sold in tobacco retail specialty stores. Since vape products are included in the Utah Indoor Clean Air Act, vaping in indoor public places is also prohibited. These measures are intended to reduce youth vaping and nicotine addiction.

Evidence-based Practices

Evidence-based practices for smoking cessation include individual, group, and telephone counseling and use of FDA-approved nicotine replacement therapies and medications.

Available Services

For services and information on tobacco use and quitting, visit Utah's online tobacco cessation website, [http://waytoquit.org waytoquit.org], or call the Utah Tobacco Quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW. Utah quit services include the teen tobacco cessation program My Life My Quit.

Health Program Information

Tobacco and vape industry claims that e-cigarettes are effective smoking cessation tools have not been verified by research studies. For information on quitting tobacco use with proven methods, visit [http://waytoquit.org waytoquit.org] or call the Utah Tobacco Quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW. To receive more information about the health effects of vaping, addiction, and quitting visit [https://seethroughthevape.org/].

Data Notes

Experimentation is defined as "ever tried"; current use is defined as use in the past 30 days.

Data Source

Prevention Needs Assessment Survey

Data Notes

Source: Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) [https://ibis.health.utah.gov/ibisph-view/query/builder/yrbs/ElecVapor/ElecVapor.html]

Data Source

The Utah Department of Health and Human Services Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS)

Data Notes

Current use is defined as use in currently using "every day" or "some days."[[br]]

Data Source

The Utah Department of Health and Human Services Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)

Data Notes

Current use is defined as use in the past 30 days.

Data Source

Prevention Needs Assessment Survey

Data Notes

Age-adjusted to U.S. 2000 population.[[br]] * For San Juan Health District, the estimate has a coefficient of variation >30% and is therefore deemed unreliable by Utah Department of Health standards.

Data Source

The Utah Department of Health and Human Services Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)

Data Notes

Current use is defined as use in the past 30 days.

Data Source

Prevention Needs Assessment Survey